BattleCry
by xoJaymexo
Summary: Three years after Dumbledore's death, the war is still raging. It's almost over, though, and the Light's army is preparing to go to the Final Battle. Ginny desperatly tries to come up with an idea to spur on the troop, while dealing with loving Harry.


It was time.

Ginny had dreaded this day for as far back as she could remember, although at first she had known not what she dreaded.

When she was small, it had been her parents not loving her.

At Hogwarts, it had been not having anyone. She had since let go of that fear, but at times it still haunted her.

Now though, now it went beyond her parents loving her not, and being alone. Now, it was deeper, stronger, and harder to fight.

Now it was love, and the prospect of losing it.

The war had raged for three years since Albus Dumbledore's death. Now it was the end. They had lost. Oh! How they had lost! Bill, Charlie, George... Percy —right after he forgave them and they forgave him they had lost him. They had lost so much, and had given up so many times, only to pick themselves out of the dirt and try again.

It had been three years, and Ginny had wondered how many times they would have to dust off the dirt, shove their grieving to the side, and fight once more.

She had knownin the depths of her heart that the defeat of Voldemort and the end of the war would not be happy days. But, and this was the crucial fact that kept them all fighting, kept them hoping, the defeat and the end would be just that—the end. That was what they were struggling for now. That was the hope they held in their hearts.

It wasn't enough, but it would have to be.

She had wracked her brains for something that would raise their spirits, for something that would make them fight with the vigour they once had.

In a time even two years ago, they would have fought just for Harry, just for their families. That time was not so long ago, but it felt like decades.

Now even Harry rallying them wasn't enough. Even their families begging for them to go, to win, wasn't enough. Nothing was enough.

The Magical people had given up hope.

And now, now that it was the end, now that it was time to end everything, now that everything was at the final moment, the last gasp before the end of the race, they would lose.

Ginny knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt. If they continued in this way, they would lose.

She just couldn't think of what they needed to win, and now it was too late.

Footsteps pounding on the stones outside of her door dragged her out of her thoughts, and she quickly moved to behind the door, taking out her wand. She didn't take chances, not anymore.

_Rap. Rap rap. Tappity-tap._

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Only three people knew that code, and only one ever used it. She slid out from behind the door frame, and, still holding onto her wand, opened it.

"Harry!" She greeted him, and then took another look at his face His eyes were grave, not dancing as they usually were when they saw her. "What's wrong?" She asked anxiously. He usually forced some sort of smile on his face when he saw her, just to put up the semblance of happiness that they both craved and needed desperately.

The last time there had been no hint of a smile on his face, had been when he had brought her the news of George's death.

Now though, as she watched him struggle for words, she realized that it was something different. He, Harry, was afraid to tell—or ask, maybe—her, Ginny, something.

"Just tell me, Harry. I don't bite…hard." She told him, trying to bring some humour into his face.

It didn't work. "You will bite hard when you hear this." He mumbled, running a hand through his raggedy hair.

She was quickly losing patience. "Just tell me!" She said, exasperated.

He grimaced, then spoke really fast, as though that would make his words hurt less. "I want you to stay here during the battle." Harry screwed up his eyes and braced himself, ready for a hex.

Ginny just blinked, uncomprehending.

When he opened his eyes again, she was still staring at him, still confused.

"Um, Gin?" He asked her cautiously.

"I need to get my ears checked," she said, "Because I could have sworn I just heard you say you didn't want me fighting beside you."

He winced. "I did," he said. "I don't want to worry about you too."

She looked at him, allowing her usually melted-chocolate eyes to harden into frozen chips of brown, giving him time to take back his words. He didn't.

"Tell me you didn't say that." She said, her voice as cold as her eyes.

He, of all people, should know better than to baby her! She had always been babied, by her family, by her friends, even by her teachers. Harry had always been the only on to treat her like the adult she was now, and the mature person she had been after her first year. She didn't, _couldn't,_ understand why he was acting like this now. Why he was being the way she had always hated, the way he had promised he would never act towards her?

"I did," he said, standing straighter. Inside her, she suppressed how proud she felt when she saw him standing up to her. Harry was like that. He would be nervous and terrified before the conflict, and nervous and terrified after it, but during it he was cool and collected, the general that led his men to war.

"Why?" She asked, her façade breaking down slightly. It _hurt_! Harry had never acted this way before to her, had never told her to stay back, and had never acted as though loving her was a chore that could kill him.

His eyes softened, and he pulled her into his arms, holding tighter when she resisted. "Strategically, I cannot put my best Healer into danger. And _you,_ darling Ginny," he gave her a squeeze, "Are my best Healer. And I don't just say that because we share a bed," he added with a wink.

She looked up at him, straining her neck to see his eyes. "That's not it," she told him, waiting for him to continue.

"Gin…" he said, sighing. "I can't risk you. You," he looked into her eyes deeply, "You are my reason for fighting, and the reason I haven't given up like everyone else has. I need you alive. I need to know that I can come back to you when I'm done, when everything is over, when the dust clears, and have you waiting for me. I need that, Ginny. _I need it_." His voice was serious, and she knew he meant what he was saying.

Slowly, hesitantly, she nodded. "Okay." She said, her weariness and defeat weighing down the word.

He nodded, too, and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "All of the fighters are getting portkeys that transport them here when they are injured. If they can be sent back, just tap the portkey twice with your wand. If you need something, send a note to me through them."

She nodded again. They had been through this a million times, but Harry still needed to tell her. It was his way of calming down, he was 'checking the equipment', as they had heard Hermione call it once when Ron had been sharpening his knives.

"Ginny." He said, looking her straight in the eye, more serious than he had been before, more serious than she had ever seen him. "Save those you can. Do not, under any circumstances, exhaust yourself. Do you understand me?"

She struggled with herself, knowing what he was asking. He wanted her to put herself before all of the others, before the wounded, dying fighters. He wanted her to keep herself fit; only healing if possible. He was asking her to survive for him, even if it cost others their lives. It went against all her healer training, it went against everything she believed in.

But…she believed in Harry.

"Yes." She replied, "But you will _never_ ask this of me again, am I clear Harry James Potter?" Her voice was severe, and he nodded. He knew what he had asked, and knew what it had cost for her to agree.

"Never again," he vowed, and pulled her in for a quick kiss, lingering against her mouth, then pulling away and turning to go, but turned back quickly. "Call for me, Ginny, and I'll come," he told her, his green eyes on her brown ones. She nodded, blinking rapidly, then watched as he disappeared, rooted to the spot.

When even the echoes of his steps were gone, something struck her in a flash. Ginny dashed after him, red hair streaming behind her in a race to get to him before he left.

Reaching the courtyard, she held her ribs with one arm, and, panting, looked around desperately for Harry.

She finally saw him, and raced over to him, where he sat with Hermione and Ron, discussing tactics. Well, it was mostly Ron who was discussing the tactics, Hermione was arguing with him, and Harry just sat, staring into space.

"Harry!" She yelled, startling him.

"Ginny?" He asked, bewildered, as he picked himself up off the ground.

"Harry," she panted, throwing herself into his arms. The activity around the courtyard had ceased—everyone wanted to know what their General's love had to say. "You need a battle-cry."

He nodded. Agreeing, but still confused. "Yes, we do, Ginny." He said.

"I have one for you," she said, pitching her voice so it carried.

He was interested. "Continue," he told her, his voice carrying as well.

"Your battle-cry is this, 'Light is Love'" she told him.

His brows furrowed, "Why, Gin?" He asked.

Ginny smiled. "Because, at first, love was a feeling in the back of your head. It grew into hope, and then into a quiet thought that you kept hidden, in case it was lost once more. Then it was a quiet word, whispered in a dark alley, where no one can hear you. Now, it is your battle-cry, shouted where everyone can hear you."

Harry's smile had been growing bigger as she spoke, until he was beaming. He kissed her quickly, and then turned around. "You heard the lady, men!" He shouted. "Now, fall out!"

The men and women of their army gathered their things and moved to the brooms that were gathered together in the centre of the area. Once everyone had theirs, Harry looked at Ginny and yelled, "Light is LOVE!" With a roar, everyone echoed him, and then kicked off, leaving Ginny behind.

But she wasn't worried. Harry hadn't said goodbye to him, but that was okay. He would always come back when she called. He had promised.

**I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks so much to Jessica for the wonderful job she did beta-ing it. Thank you!  
Feedback is, as always, appreciated.  
Also, I am currently writing a sequel to this, as well as a prequel. The prequel will be longer, and the sequel will be as well. Check out my profil for more details.  
xoxo Jayme**


End file.
